Facebook arrest: RR Patil backs Chavan's decision on cops

Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil today said there was no difference of opinion between him and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan over action to be taken against police officials who arrested two girls for their Facebook comments on the Shiv Sena last week.

"The report of the Special IG (Konkan Range) is with the chief minister and we have discussed it. There is no difference of opinion between me and the chief minister. An announcement is likely tomorrow," Patil told reporters here.

Prithviraj Chavan. AFP.

The enquiry report on the arrest of two girls for their Facebook comments against the Shiv Sena shut down has indicted the policemen for initiating action and observed that the arrests could have been avoided.

The confidential report filed by Inspector General (Konkan Range) Sukhvindar Singh also mentions that sections applied in the case were not justified and also recommended departmental action against the concerned cops.

Shaheen Dadha and Renu Srinivasan from Palghar, both aged 21, were arrested last Monday after Dadha posted a Facebook status protesting the Mumbai shutdown after Thackeray's death and Renu 'liked' it. The girls were later released on bail.

They were arrested under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code
(IPC) and the IT Act.

A clinic owned by Shaheen's uncle was also ransacked by a group of alleged Shiv Sena workers. Ten people were arrested for the attack, but released on a bail of Rs 7,500 each as surety.